Since the digital entry and exit system (EES) was launched last October, travelers to the EU have faced extra border security checks. Under the new system, most non-EU citizens, including those from the UK, must provide their biometric information at the border. These checks are causing major delays, and airlines and airports are calling for the system to be paused during the peak summer holiday season. They say some flights are leaving half empty, and passengers are waiting in queues for up to five hours.
What is the EES?
The EES was introduced to make border crossings faster and more efficient, and to track who enters and leaves the EU. It launched last year and has been fully in place since April. Travelers must have their faces photographed and fingerprints scanned before they can enter Europe’s Schengen area, which includes 25 of the 27 EU member states, plus Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland. These checks apply to people who are not citizens of any of the 29 Schengen countries, Ireland, or Cyprus. Eventually, the system will replace the practice of border officials stamping passports.
Typically, when someone arrives at their destination, they use a self-service screen to enter their name, passport details, fingerprints, and the date and place of entry and exit. If traveling through the port of Dover, Eurotunnel LeShuttle at Folkestone, or Eurostar at St Pancras International, the EES checks are done before leaving the UK. When returning home, or if they have used the system before, people should in theory have a quicker experience since their data is already recorded. However, they still need to go through checks, and in some cases, they have to provide their information again.
What is the problem?
The rollout has faced significant difficulties and delays, which in some cases have caused people to miss their flights home. When the system was first introduced, queues built up at some airports during busy times, which was blamed on the new technology and staffing levels at the border. At the end of last year, Lisbon airport had to suspend the system after wait times reached seven hours. In April, about 100 people were stranded in Milan after a flight to Manchester left without them, as border control checks led to queues lasting up to three hours. Last month, a group of passengers missed their flight from Athens to Luton due to delays, sparking angry scenes.
In an open letter to Ursula von der Leyen, the president of the European Commission, published on Wednesday, travel industry groups said the situation had “reached a critical point.” Since April, they said, “waiting times at border control have increased significantly, now reaching up to five hours during peak traffic periods.”
Can the checks be suspended?
Last week, the head of the company that runs Rome’s airports said the system should be suspended to avoid a “disaster” during the summer months, when traffic is at its peak. ACI Europe, a European airports trade body, said that individual EU governments, not airports, must decide whether to suspend the system. Its president, Stefan Schulte, said politicians should “stop pretending … that EES is working just fine. It is not.” In May, French police temporarily suspended the checks at the port of Dover as thousands of holidaymakers faced long delays in hot weather. A spokesperson for the port said they used a clause in the EES regulations that allows for checks to be temporarily relaxed.
The letter to von der Leyen, signed by ACI Europe, Airlines 4 Europe, and the International Air Transport Association (which represents airlines), is asking for the system to be suspended during the peak summer period.In hot weather. Photograph: Gareth Fuller/PA
How early should I get to the airport, and what happens if I miss my flight?
If you miss your flight, the airline isn’t required to rebook you for free, according to travel company Kayak. They say that under EU rules, airlines can treat border delays as extraordinary circumstances, which means they might not have to pay compensation.
The Association of British Insurers (ABI) has said that travel insurance is unlikely to cover any losses you face due to delays. Admiral Insurance added: “We wouldn’t reimburse you for delays caused by the new EU entry/exit system, but we would help if your trip was delayed by things like severe weather or strikes.”
Passengers are advised to arrive up to three hours before their flight, but that extra time doesn’t help much if the airline only opens baggage check-in two hours before take-off. That’s what happened to one family who contacted the Guardian after missing their easyJet flight home from Málaga because of long queues. They ended up paying an extra £1,000 for new flights. However, there doesn’t seem to be any advice for airlines to open check-in earlier.
One way to skip luggage check-in is to only bring cabin baggage.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here is a list of FAQs about the new EU border checks and how they will affect your summer holiday
BeginnerLevel Questions
1 What exactly are these new EU border checks
They are a new digital system called the EntryExit System Instead of getting your passport stamped manually your entry and exit from most EU countries will be recorded electronically
2 Will I need to apply for a visa to go on holiday
No If you are a nonEU national who currently doesnt need a visa for short stays this system does not change that It just changes how your entry is recorded
3 How will this affect my summer holiday
The biggest impact is at the border The first time you enter the EU after the system starts you will likely face longer queues You may need to stop for a few extra seconds to have your fingerprints scanned and your photo taken
4 Do children need to go through these checks too
Yes Children of all ages will need to have their fingerprints and photo taken when they first enter the EU under the new system
5 What happens at the border Will it be like airport security
No its not like security At passport control an officer will scan your passport and then ask you to place your fingers on a scanner and look at a camera The whole process takes about 3090 seconds per person
Intermediate Practical Questions
6 Ive been to the EU before Will this still affect me
Yes The first time you cross a border after the system goes live you will be enrolled After that on future trips you may be able to use an automated egate if available which is often faster
7 Will this cause massive delays at the port or airport
Experts expect delays especially in the first few months and at busy entry points The new checks take longer than a simple passport stamp It is wise to arrive at the airport or port earlier than usual
8 How does the system know I havent overstayed my 90day limit
The system automatically calculates your 90day allowance It records
